Teaching grammar: Inductively vs. Deductively

Most methods for teaching grammar are based on a deductive approach where the grammar rule is given to the students and then they apply it in their English. Modern methodology, however, encourages teachers to introduce a new grammar rule by an inductive method, meaning students are able to discover the rule on their own by make a mistake first. For example, if you have a sentence where your students made a grammatical mistake, you can correct it without explaining the grammatical rule he/she broke, bur rather let him/her reach it by analyzing his/her mistake. Let them guess and make sense of what is wrong and how to make it right on their own. Discovery will also play the role of a confidence catalyst. Your students will be braver to make mistakes especially knowing that they can correct them themselves. Therefore, by letting them explore and discover on their own, you will also be applying a great deal of the student-centered approach in your teaching. It is not about what you tell them to learn, it is about what they ask to learn.